


Nightmare

by cr3stfallen



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alcohol, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Comfort, F/M, Rape, Rape Recovery, Sylvain/Byleth is not good please dont read this if you want nice things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-23 22:30:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21327733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cr3stfallen/pseuds/cr3stfallen
Summary: This is a very personal vent piece. Idk if it will help anyone else. Please heed the warnings and take care of yourself, there is no harm in skipping this if you think it is too much but it's very explicit, and mostly about the comfort.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 3
Kudos: 120





	Nightmare

Byleth was distraught. Broken, jagged pieces of the composed woman she normally was bristled at everyone around her after losing the only family she had. Even being a  _ demi-god  _ was insufficient power to save Jeralt. A failure. Terrible daughter. The rumors were true. She was heartless, undeserving.

She had wasted almost all her energy keeping Sylvain from harm in the battle before, foolishly putting the headstrong and reckless manchild in a mounted class that put him eons ahead of the rest of them in speed and movement save cautious and deft Ingrid. She could handle herself alone. He, could not, and was quickly boxed in by the unexpected beasts as he feebly attempted to impress heaven knows who. Dimitri had noticed her exhaustion, unclear the reason for it but a firm guiding hand on her shoulder anchoring her to reality as she felt her mental faculties drained with each divine pulse use thrummed through her. And with that… she was barely standing on shaky legs when her father was stabbed in the lung from behind. Risking one last attempt to rewrite things at her own detriment, she knew that anything else would quite possibly kill her. She was, after all, still human. Despite her crest, despite Sothis, despite their support, both her and her father bleeding out in her arms were painfully, strikingly human. 

Human enough to sob openly to the Prince when he gently approached her to soothe the aching pain in her chest.  _ It's okay to mourn. There is no weakness in it. Just know that eventually, your tears will dry, and then you will have to find a reason to keep moving forward. I'm here for you no matter what, Byleth.  _

Her name fell like honey from his compassionate lips as his breath fell hot on her head, caged into a gentle enveloping embrace as her newly found emotion of loss found itself staining his cape and chest armor with hot silent tears. He was there, later, knocking on the door in the evening quiet. No answer, unbidden he gently pushed his way in with a tray of her favorite food.  _ You don't have to finish it, but please try and eat something. We are fine instructing each other for a few more days. Please don't blame yourself Professor…. _ A hymn, his words of encouragement. His reverence for the capable woman shattered by the unexpected in every breath. 

She was not yet ready to speak, though. Words failed her even as tears dried up, a numbness fogging her judgment as she braved the outside world again. Her precious students perk up seeing her rare form grace the dining hall a week later, expectation and joy quickly dulled seeing the husk in front of them unresponsive. It seems even Dimitri's unbidden support could do little to change her coping with a cool exterior, at least for now. They tried all that next week to broach her feelings, probing too much, too fast. Prickling in on herself, Byleth curled tightly like hedgehog at the embarrassing amount of attention lavished on her. Is this what worry and pity felt like to normal people with emotions?? It hurt to admit that the newfound vulnerability was a burden now, and so she went drinking one lonely night by herself, so far out of the way as to be sure no familiar faces happened upon her disgrace. 

Just one night. Please. Maybe drink would loosen those tears again. Asking Dimitri to just, what??? Let her sob like a baby on his shoulder again?? Too much. She could open her petals to the sun on a less painful day. Tonight, she numbed. Soothed her overstimulated mind and dull sense of rage drinking as much as physically possible. Sadly, for all her youth Jeralt had indulged her in any manner the road allowed, including developing quite a tolerance for booze. 

She screamed at the poor bartend at one point to just bring the entire jug, finding heavy liquor to be the only solace to cut the thoughts pounding against her head. Sothis above, at least leaving her in gentle peace. Or perhaps, having given up entirely on reaching the Ashen Demon for now.  _ Is this the pressure that normal people felt?? All the time?? Terrible.  _

Why had she ever allowed herself to soften? Now, only her muscles softened as the jug emptied far too quickly, knowing that it would catch up with her small frame despite the tolerance the second she tried to go anywhere. The bartend cast a pitiful glance at her, in response Byleth just chugging the high proof burning liquid with a fiery intensity aimed at his doubt of her judgement. 

_ How dare they. I am no fool. I need not your pity.  _

Smashing the emptied jug angrily on the table, she giggled at the mess she had made, scattering money for cleanup with a sloppy motion over the destruction left in her wake before leaving with one goodbye and the door wide open. 

"If youfffuckin… try to help m'-. M-me. I'll cutcha dow…" 

Tomorrow would be better. She would pick herself up then. She was capable and strong. 

-

Barely shuffling along back to the monastery, she inched along the walls past slowly waning crowds also out far too late, shaking as the booze hit her system in successive waves of blissful dullness. Nothing. Just the vibrations of her own overwhelmed system drowning out the surroundings enough that she didn't notice what would be a familiar flash of red in passing. One that broke off the current conversation to stalk the inebriated mercenary. 

  
  


A short while later, almost all her bad pacing had caught up with her brain. She was sure she had to puke, but was unable to just yet. Pausing for a moment, a familiar voice cut through the droning in her head as she rested near the gates of the monastery. 

"Heya Professor. You're looking a bit ragged..." 

Nothing. 

"I'll get you back to your room then. C'mon." 

A warmth at her side, hoisting her up as Sylvain snaked his grip around her, head lolling around with zero response from her as he tried to reason her body into a formable position to little affect. 

"Honestly, what the hell happened to you? I've never seen you like this be- _ fore."  _ He grunted while shifting the dead weight, giving up and just yanking her up into his arms with little protest. 

He slowly walked in silence, her heavy breathing close by assuring the redhead that she was still awake since she didn't seem talkative. However, she broke it near the greenhouse as he plopped her down for a break. 

"Do y'rlly hate me… Sylv…." The pathetic woman mumbled to the ground with a pout. 

He sighed heavy. "Kinda. Though I must say it's liberating knowing that you probably won't remember any of this and I can be honest for once." 

He paused, brushing a hand along her shoulder before stroking her hair gently with zero protest. Byleths head canted towards the touch. 

"I hate that you're out of reach. I hate that your struggles haven't given you barriers. I hate that you're free to do whatever you want with life. I hate your smile. But. I…." he paused, focusing too intently on her collapsed shoulders and shallow breathing with a near predatory glare. 

"I like you. A lot. I don't think you like me. It's him, isn't it." 

Byelth hadn't even formed an opinion romantically towards any person thus far in her life, so her brows knitted together in confusion at that.

"Idunno what tha- … means…"

"I hate that I can't have you. It kills me. I have been trying to get your attention for  _ months _ now. Do you even notice??" Sylvain was getting riled up, glowering down at her with a fistful of her hair when all he got in response was a tiny unbidden giggle from her inebriated mind. 

_ Stupid Sylvain.  _

"Is tha- whya gotcher self killed  _ SIX TIMES _ last week." 

She wasn't supposed to tell a soul about Sothis. Nor her powers. Truly and well gone, her neck was craned back, eyes glazed over in a stupor as his hot breath bore down on her. 

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, but I'm starting to hate you a lot more right now." He kissed her forcefully, pulling back to her expression unchanged. 

"Are you scared? I'm gonna take the debt out on your body here if you aren't careful." 

Byleth remained unmoved, large glassy eyes half-lidded. Not a change. His face twisted, lip twitching. He dug his hand aggressively into her side, forcing her closer.

"It's not like you'll remember. Or say anything. You never fucking talk when it matters. Are you even human??" 

The anger was palpable in the air, Byleth just shaking her head no before Sylvain crashed his face into her exposed neck, hoping to drag something out of her. Anything. But she was too far gone. Back in her shell where nothing could get to her. It took him ripping her shirt up to expose her to the cold winter air before she realized he was serious, a flash of worry cutting through the heavy buzz as he forcefully groped at the exposed skin like an animal tearing into prey.

She tried to weakly tell him no, quickly shot down with a slap to the face. At that, she finally showed shock and pain. How could he? 

"Oh haha. Ha… okay. Yeah. You like it rough then. Good to know you aren't a husk of a human after all. I just gotta rip it out of you." Another slap thudded across her already flush cheek before Byleth's floppy arms came to push him away feebly, her shirt getting caught in the way and leaving them hoisted above her head. 

She had to get out, but as soon as she tried to get up he had grabbed her by the shorts and tripped her with them, thudding to the cobblestone next to the bench in quick failure before he had ripped them off her completely in one quick swipe. 

"No…." she whined as best her shaky body would allow, limbs shuddering beneath her before they were kicked out from under her with a yelp. Flipped over quickly, he forced her face with a rough grip to look at him when the pain and fear showed. 

"You look so good with emotions on your face Professor. I wanna see them…" He ripped a hole in her tights to her horror as she whined, trying to writhe free of him before bashing her head against the stone with a soft cry. At that, his hand moved to suppress her voice, his chest rising quickly above her as he tried to free himself and shift her underclothes. 

Then he forced his way in. She screamed into his hand, shaking as tears rolled down her cheeks at the searing pain between her legs took her virginity with no care, a sick smile twisting on his face. 

"I don't think you've ever looked so beautiful, Byleth. See? Being expressive isn't hard now is it good." Thrust. "Girl." Thrust. Shudders of agony and shock cut through the buzz and she felt like she was close to puking as he started shoving his length in, using her body like a toy as she gave up, body shaking at the absolute cold around her despite the heat of anger emanating off what she formerly called a trusted student. She was absolutely too drunk to protest, unable to retreat into her safe space at the attack.

Not seconds later, though, a familiar voice from across the stairs barely echoed through her throbbing head.

"Who is over there at this hour? Are you alright?" 

_ No. Not him. Not Dimitri. _

Another voice. Felix.

"Wait. What the  _ FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU SYLVAIN."  _ His sharp-tongued best friend called out, having come back from training with her favorite student at the worst time. Dimitri stood in shock and horror realizing the scene before him, eyes wide and body shaking for a painfully long moment. And then he snapped into autopilot. 

The young man was on Sylvain frighteningly fast, his entire body weight forced against the redhead as fists flew, tears streaming as he screamed his unbridled rage at the womanizer. 

Blow. 

After blow.

After blow. 

Grunts of rage wracking his body as he pounded relentlessly at who was considered a good friend not two minutes prior, shaking as tears flowed freely from his betrayed visage. 

"How… how _DARE YOU._ _DEFILING_ her like this. I can't believe I ever trusted a piece of godforsaken _GARBAGE_ like you. You could _NEVER _atone for what you've done here. I.._YOU HURT HER! WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP!!!" _

One final blow and a loud crack of jaw reverberated through the courtyard, a few sleepy students having stirred from sleep at the ruckus opening their doors to find the horrid scene in the dark barely visible. 

"That's enough, Boar." Felix shouted at him at the last strike while the redhead had stilled.

Byleth laid there writhing a short distance away, Felix having helped her when the shock and disgust caught up with her curdled stomach and emptied itself onto the grass next to her. He gently stroked her back, attempting to ground her with calm insistent speech while her head lolled around still.

Dimitri rose, fists balled and shaking with a vacant stare down at the man moaning in pain below. Guilt came over him at losing his temper, but he felt that if he went any further he could not stop himself from killing Sylvain for inflicting this on her. 

Quickly, he strode the few steps to where she laid unable to even raise her head to meet either gaze before gently cradling her dizzied exposed body in his arms, covering her with his half cape before stomping away to leave the other man moaning in agony. Dimitri quickly swept her away from the scene, hiding away in his room with her before gently placing her on his bed and locking the door. He wasn't even able to register seeing the object of his affections half-naked before him, considering the manner in which it had presented itself. Pacing for a moment with worry, she stirred beside him with a moan still unaware of most of what just occurred. 

Hopefully, most of it would be a haze from the drinking. He hated to think of how badly it would hurt her to have another traumatic event like this so shortly after losing her father as well, she had just begun to process that when Sylvain selfishly violated her in the worst way possible. Walking back and forth frantically, Dimitri had no clue how to help her as he rushed from idea to idea before settling on changing her into something dignified. He had never seen a woman naked, and of course, this happened to be the worst time and place for it to occur. Fear clenched tight his heavy beating heart as shaky hands rifled through his messy drawer for anything that would work.

Yet none of his clothes suited her. Perhaps his sleepwear would be adequate until further help arrived? Yes. That would do. He was nervous touching her so soon after what had just happened but worried that leaving her in the state she was would just further upset her in the morning. Steeling himself, his heart wrenched painfully in his chest as her half passed out body whined fearfully when he pulled the half ripped shirt free from her limbs. Setting her upright, he tried to finagle her into the loose-fitting sports top before settling for a loose button-up instead. His hands were shaky, but she allowed him to help her gingerly with quiet apologies. He left her alone after that, shooing away Felix and then a panicked Manuela who showed a few minutes later. They could see in the morning, he told them. She was safe here. 

If he was too strong for delicate tasks, at least he could use it to defend his drunk Professor while she whined pitifully next to him. He gently stroked her hair until she quit stirring and slept, passing out finally sometime later slumped over next to his bed on the floor. 

She woke slowly, eyes stuck shut and remembering not much but feeling very upset for some reason. What had happened last night?? She was tired. Couldn't sleep again.. Went drinking and…. oh. 

Bits and pieces washed back as her body ached from the attack, Byleth noting it was far past daybreak through her closed eyes but huddling against her wall with a soft cry of pain to try and gather herself. She had no clue what had happened after that, she blacked out most of it but the sharpest edges, and knew something was very wrong as her senses slowly came to her. Her tights were ripped, stuck to the sheets. She was wearing a foreign shirt. The pillow under her smelled different. The bed creaked differently. Her arms ached. Sharp pain in her groin. 

She started with a jolt and gasp, scared witless that Sylvain had taken her before waking the blonde next to her. He looked up to see her tear-filled eyes grasping the covers desperately around her form, mouth agape with fear for a half-second as he tried to calm her down. 

"What happened."

He stayed crouched on the floor beneath her gaze as he spoke quickly and earnestly, trying his best to not make things worse than they had to be. 

"I am so sorry I took you here I panicked and had to get you out and I… didn't think of how scared you would be but I couldn't walk past the um… I… it's okay you're safe. Please." He reached a gentle hand out to her. She didn't take it, but shoulders fell as she burrowed deeper with a pout into the corner of the bed frame. The hand fell to her knee and gently stroked until she relaxed further. Coming to gingerly sit on the edge of the bed, he did his best to comfort the startled hungover flighty cat currently sitting in his button-up. In any other circumstance, he might have found the look beyond adorable, but here it just stung. 

"Please… try to sleep more. Help is coming. This isn't your fault I just.. trust me to keep you safe here for a little while. I promise to you on my life nothing else will happen." 

And for the second time in two weeks, Byleth cried at his kindness. Silent tears at first, chin quivering pathetically until she fell over into his lap and openly sobbed while he gently pet her soft hair until she passed out from pure exhaustion again. 

-

  
  


She woke again, slightly less disoriented to a muffled impassioned argument outside the door and more aches at her sides, wrist, and mouth. 

"Yes, of course, I will allow --- -- attend to her Pr------ ---uela, but - -- not going  _ anywhere _ until I am certain that monster is gone --- ----d!" 

"Rhea is -- ----- -- this situation…" 

"I do not  _ CARE _ that he is injured! --- lucky - didn't  _ KILL HIM _ for what he did! -- not hurt ------ ----, ---- I will take whatever punishment you see fit for this, but I refuse to apologize for defending her, Manuela." 

A sigh from the nurse. "Look kid, let me at least ----- --- before you go crazy okay?" 

Felix piped up quickly as well. "He needs to be gone. I can't stand to look at him after this." 

"You did not see what -- ---, Felix --- I. Let me care for ---. It's the least I can-" 

A soft whine cut them off from inside his room, Dimitri excusing himself to check on her with a stern glare at the other professor's distraught face. The door shut with a click and lock as he glanced gently down at her bedhead, face half-hidden as she centered herself with the scent on his things. 

"I won't let anyone else touch you like that ever again, I swear it." 

And he was surprisingly right, in the end. This memory would be rewritten years later with his gentle touch instead, both moments faded at the edges, replaced with mutual trust and positive emotions Dimitri didn't have to hurt her to elicit. She came into her own, on her own time. He grew past his struggles as well over the years, both of them better people for it, and both of them cherishing the bond only they could hold for another. 


End file.
